Circuit contact



Aug. 11, 1925. 1,549,667

. L. P. HUTT ET AL CIRCUIT CONTACT Filed June '7. 1922 inventors Leonard 1. Hut-b Peter Mole J1- x WM Their Attorne g Patented A'ug. 11, 1925.

UNITED STATES 1,549,667 PATENT OFFICE.

LEONARD r. HUTT AND PETER MOLE, .TR., OF SCHENECTADY, NEW YORK, ASSIGNQRS TO GENERAL ELECTRIC COMPANY, A CORPORATION OF NEW YORK.

CIRCUIT CONTACT.

Application filed June 7,

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, LEONARD P. HUTT, a subject of the King of Great Britain, and PETER MOLE, Jr., a citizen of the United States, residing at Schenectady, in the county of Schenectady, State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Circuit Contacts, of which the following is a specification.

Our invention relates to circuit contacts in general but more particularly to contacts for the electrodes of arc-lights. Our invention is especially applicable to high intensity arc-lights. V

Heretofore, in high intensity arc-light mechanisms, electrode contact elements have been used having a cylindrical hole through which the electrode projects and through which the electrode is fed. In practice, it is found that the walls of the hole become roughened or that the surface of the electrode becomes roughened or both with the result that the operation of the feeding mechanism has been at times unsatisfactory inasmuch as the roughened surfaces prevent regular feeding. The roughening of the contact or of the electrode may be due partly to oxidizing or to electrolysis or to arcing; but whatever the cause, the feeding operation has not been as satisfactory as desired. We have therefore devised a new electrode mechanism and among the objects of our invention are as follows: To provide a contact for an arelight electrode which permits the electrode to slip through in the feeding operation as heretofore, but which instead of being rigid with respect to the electrode is mounted to float, so to speak, on the electrode and yield to the irregularities of the electrode or to the eccentric gyrations of the electrode re- I sulting from the rotation of the latter; to

provide an electrode made in two sections which serve as jaws between which latter the electrode is yieldingly held and between r which jaws the electrode slides; to provide means for mounting said Contact jaws suitably insulated from the arc lamp frame and; to provide other details of improvement tending to increase the efficiency and serviceability of arc-light mechanism of the above character. The means by which the foregoing and other useful ends are accomplished are hereinafter more fully set forth and claimed. I

Referring to the drawlng, Flg. 1 1s a front 1922. Serial No. 566,597.

view in elevation of the floating contact of our invention; Fig. 2 is a side view of the same.

Referring more in detail to the drawing, it Will be seen that the frame 2 of the archght mechanism supports a yoke 3 through which the positive electrode 4 of the'arclight passes. To the left of this yoke is fastened a disc 5 ofinsulatin material capable of withstanding a relatlvely high degree of temperature. This disc may be made, for example, of asbestos board. As shown in the drawing, this disc is secured to the yoke 3 by screws 6; Secured to this disc we provide a pair of pins 7 and 8. In Fig. 2 the left terminal of the pin is in the form of a head, while to the right and against the disc 5 there is provided a shoulder. These pins serve as pivotal points for the elements or aws and 10 of the electrode. The up per portlons of these elements are provided Wli'll heat radiating flanges 23. The object of these flanges is of course to enable the heat which is communicated to the jaws to be rap1dly dissipated in order to maintain the temperature of the electrode in the vicinity of the jaws low enough to prevent oxldization. At the point where each of aws 9 and 10 of the Contact mechanism engage the electrode they are hollowed out, thus forming hearings to fit the electrode. These elements 9 and 10 are also hollowed out at the points where they engage the pivotalpins 7 and 8, the hollowed sections serving as seats for the pins 7 and 8. The width of the jaw at the point where it engages the pivotal pin is such as to enable the jaw to slide longitudinally, somewhat, on the pin. Furthermore, the diameter of the seat portion is larger than the diameter of the pivotal pin in order to permit the jaw to rise and fall as well as oscillate about the axis of the pivotal pin. The seat is made larger for the additional purpose 'of enabling each jaw to oscillate back and forth slightly about an axis at right angles to the axis of the pin. Referring to Fig. 1, it will be seen that below the pivots 7 and 8 is provided a link 11 on either end of which it is provided with a hole through which holes the pins 12 and 13 project. The diameter of each of these holes in the link 11 is larger than the diameter of either pin 12 or 13 in order to permit play of the shanks 14 and 15 of the jaws. The pins 12 and 13 as shown are provided with suitable heads to prevent the link 11 from sli ping off. Between the lower extremities 0 the shanks 14 and 15 there is a coiled spring 16 which supplies tension to the shanks of the jaws for imparting to these elements a yielding pressure for holding them in engagement with the electrode. It will be seen therefore that the tension spring 16 enables the jaws to yieldingly hold the electrode 4 between them. Referring to Fig. 1, at the lower right hand side we show a terminal 17, to which the positive side of the source of current is connected. This terminal 17 is secured by suitable screws to the bridge piece 18 which latter is insulated from the frame of the machine by a piece of insulating material 19. To the inner end of the brldge piece 18, which is shown .just behind the tension spring 16, we secure a flexible conducting strip 20 at its midpoint and which may be of nickel or other suitable conductor. This spring connection has two terminals which are secured, one to the element 14 by the nut 21, and the other to the element 15 by the nut 22. i ii A contact mechanism of the character described will obviously yield to all of the eccentric gyrations of the electrode 4 without breaking the circuit between the jaws and the electrode and at the same time freely permit the feeding mechanism to perform its function uninterrupted and unimpeded. With this construction obviously the floatin contact mechanism may wabble, so to spea with the electrode in any direction that the electrode could possibly wabble without affecting the circuit between the contact and the electrode. With the insulating arrangement that we have shown, we prevent any stray current from passing through the electrode behind the section where the contact engages the electrode and therefore prevent spindling of the electrode elsewhere than between the contact and the electrode terminal. Furthermore, with the construction shown, the contact may be readily disassembled inasmuch as its elements may be readily lifted from the pins 7 and 8 by compressing the tension spring 16. Also by slipping the link 11 off the pins 12 and 13 the contact may be taken apart and in this way removed from the pins 7 and 8. When this is done the spring 16 falls off inasmuch as it i's held in place merely by short projections, one on the end of each jaw. Obviously the contact mechanism can be removed inan instant and replaced just as quickly. It will be understood of course that in the high intensity type of arc the electrode 4 is rotated, while the arc is burning, by any suitable rotating mechanism. With a device of this character therefore the objections heretofore pointed out are eliminated and an electrode contact provided which is readily taken apart, cleaned and reassembled.

What we claim as new and desire' to secure by Letters Patent of the United States, 15:

1. In an arc lamp, a contact device for one of the electrodes for conducting electric current to the electrode, said device comprising a pair of clamping members journaled to receive the electrode between them whereby the device may be suspended from the electrode as a whole, said device comprising also resilient means for yieldingly holding the jaws against the electrode whereby the electrode may be rotated while still preserving a good electrical contact between the device and the electrode and means for preventing the contact devices from traveling forward when the electrode advances.

2. In an arc lamp, a contact device for one of the electrodes for conducting electric current to the electrode, said device comprising a pair of clamping members journaled to receive the electrode between them whereby the device may be suspended from the electrode as a whole, said device comprising also resilient means for yieldingly holding the jaws against the electrode whereby the electrode may be rotated while still preserving a good electrical contact between the device and the electrode and an auxiliary support located adjacent the device and between the jaws thereof so that when the electrode is withdrawn from place the jawsin turn may grip the said auxiliary support in place of the electrode Where by the device may be held in place while the electrode is out of place and means for preventing the contact devices from traveling forward when the electrode advances.

3. In an arc lamp, a contact device for one of the electrodes for conducting electric current to the electrode, said device comprising a pair of clamping members journaled to receive theelectrodebetween them whereby the device may be suspended from the electrode as a whole, said device comprising also resilient means for yieldingly holding the jaws. against the electrode whereby the electrode may be rotated while still preserving electrical contact between the device and the electrode, and a bearing for the device for preventing the contacts from traveling with the electrode in its feeding operation.

4. In an arc lamp, a contact device for one of the electrodes for conducting electric current to the electrode, said device comprising a pair of clamping members journaled to receive the electrode between them whereby the device may be suspended from the electrode as awhole, said device comprising also resilient means for yieldingly holding the jaws against the electrode whereby the electrode may be rotated while still preserving electrical contact between the device and the electrode and. an auxiliary Support located adjacent the device and between the jaws thereof so-that when the electrode is withdrawn from lace the jaws in turn may grip the said auxiliary support in place of the electrode whereby the device may be held in place while the electrode is out of place,

and means for preventing the contact de- 10 vices from traveling forward when the electrode advances.

In witness whereof We have hereunto set our hands this 6th day of June 1922.

LEONARD P. HUTT. PETER MOLE, J R. 

